I have talked to several co-workers wo have set out cars at Cheney for the PCC. I think it is the M-PASNTW2 (Pasco to Northtown) that does the work mostly. One of them set cars out just last week. I no longer live in Cheney itself so I do not see what is going on down there much anymore. Kevin
Boxcab, do you mean the loads cming off the branch? If so I do not know where they are going, I only know they are setting out empties in Cheney. Kevin
Kevin- Where the empties were headed for loading. If perhaps they were going all the way. (To Coulee City?) Or somewhere in between. Boxcab E50
Oh that I do not know, If I can get a train list for one of the trains doing the setout it might say, I will keep an eye out.
I was at Coulee City today. Beautiful today out there. They had 26 cars to pick up. They came into town light power and immediately shut down. I spoke with the engineer and he said they are on duty tomorrow, March 22, at 7 am to pick up these cars at Coulee City. No other stations have pickups. Should be a good trip to Cheney. There were lots of piles of new ties in Coulee City. Nice to see some trackwork ready to take place. Yes, I have pictures.
I put together a few shots of my trip yesterday here: http://www.railroadforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=17544
Yes, I think it is supposed to happen at the end of May. I was out there again today looking through some of the old RR grades west of town. I found where the Central Washington Railroad and the Seattle Lake Shore and Eastern fought for control of a key cut through the basalt, 1 mile west of the current end of track. Neato. Pictures soon.
WATCO did it here too. Leased the CSX Cowen Sub for a year, whined and complained to CSX that they werent supplying enough cars, etc... and finally CSX pretty much said shut up or get out. Lets just say WATCO left and messed over a lot of employees they lured away from CSX, who found themselves jobless.
Ferroequinarcheologist Dan! Drifting a little here- Have you ever walked any of the incomplete grade west of Ritzville? EVery time I have ever been by, am fascinated by it. Seems to me there are some very sharp radius curves. Boxcab E50
Ken, I've wanted to, but I have just completed a mission to seek out the Seattle Lake Shore & Eastern at Coulee City. I was very successful. Check your email.
Speaking of sharp radius curves, you should see how the Central Washington looped around going up the west side of the coulee west of Coulee City. Just like the Milwaukee mainline!! There were some pretty heavy grades as well.
The CW is now the EWG?? The Eastern Washington Gateway railroad, or something like that. Since they are using MRL SD45s for power, it really looks like the westernmost branch of the MRL. I was surprised to hear the '45s were being used on this branch, which has been historically populated with 4 motor power. Guess these new guys know something the previous operators since the beginning of the diesel era didn't. I did get the chance to see the MRL 375 in Davenport, WA last Friday, June, 22, parked with 15 hoppers. Elsewhere it has been said one of the other '45s is waiting repairs at Reardan. I would hope they get to Coulee City on my next day off. I would love to see a 6 motor unit negotiate the sharp curves there!!
I worry about these units, on old NP rails. What work has been done, to stabilize track conditions? Boxcab E50
Not much, yet. Sounds like they are working to identify the worst spots of track and get them upgraded. There were a lot of new ties along the line for some track rehab before Watco left. I wonder if they were installed or taken away? It really burns me to see the shortline feature in the recent Trains magazine article where Roy Blanchard sings the praises of Watco and Rick Webb in particular. Looks like he was led down the primrose path, probably by Webb himself.
